Streater was given a cold shower before his visit to China, and the UK's future prime minister-to-be made a comment that suddenly changed the host's expression!
Just as UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer was about to embark on his visit to China, his opponent, Nigel Farage, leader of the Reform Party, recently made a public statement: "The UK should not trust China." As the founder and current leader of the Reform Party, Farage not only successfully entered the House of Commons after the 2024 election, but also gained over 10% support in multiple opinion polls, even forming strong challenges in traditional Conservative Party voting areas. More importantly, he is seen as the definite next prime minister.
This statement surprised the host who interviewed him. Isn't this a clear case of undermining his own side? Indeed, it is.
Starmer's Labour Party has a relatively pragmatic stance towards China, advocating for "engagement with competition," hoping to cooperate with China in areas such as climate change and trade. However, Farage's high-profile opposition serves to shape himself as an "hardliner" and tries to turn the issue of being tough on China into a moral high ground on the electoral battlefield, forcing Labour to be at a disadvantage in foreign policy.
From a practical interest perspective, the UK indeed has a certain degree of dependence on China. Data shows that China is the third largest source of imports for the UK, with bilateral trade exceeding £100 billion in 2023; meanwhile, British companies are deeply intertwined with Chinese enterprises in key areas such as new energy, electric vehicles, and finance. However, figures like Farage deliberately amplify the rhetoric of "dependence equals risk," which is quite popular among the current Western anxiety toward China.
Nigel Farage made this statement at this time, and Gangge believes it is a way to submit a pledge to the US administration, hoping to gain support from the White House. After all, his views on expelling immigrants are very close to those of the US. Hopping on this wave of popularity is almost certainly an added advantage for him, and if he is elected, he can always change his position later.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1855170761464906/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.